Sunrise Childrens Orphanage, Siem Reap, Cambodia
The security guard took down our details at the gate and checked our identification. Obviously they cannot let just anyone wander around the grounds amongst the children. The Sunrise Childrens Orphanage in Siem Reap was set up by an Australian lady by the name of Geraldine Cox. Following a visit to Cambodia, Geraldine, through her circle of friends, organised regular monthly care packages to be sent to orphaned children in Cambodia. She then applied for a grant through her employer the Chase Manhattan Bank who supported the orphanage project with $20,000 annually over five years. Now the orphanage is a well established not for profit organisation and receives donations from all over Australia. The group has expanded and now have a second orphanage in Phnom Penh. The facility in Siem Reap cares for over sixty children providing housing, schooling, consistency and most importantly safety and love in its large enclosed grounds. They mainly care for school aged children but have an active program which sends social workers to outer lying villages to give education, support and care packages to young mothers. This is where my Baby Teresa parcel is destined. Despite not being the poorest orphanage, due to its strong connections with local villages and other orphanages I figured that the donation will get to where it is most needed.
A worker gave us a tour of the orphanage and told many desperately sad tales about the children milling around our legs. Their newest resident, a tiny four year old boy with old eyes, was living with his mother after his father left. His mother worked as a prostitute and was an alcoholic. When drunk his mother would regularly bash him to within inches of his life. He ran away from home one year ago and was taken in by a kindly old Buddhist monk. The monk was too old to look after the boy properly so he was taken to the orphanage a week ago and is just starting his new life. I was amazed at the resilience of this child. Despite his sad eyes and beaten dog look, the boy showed great interest in my fake grass thongs and kept on insisting that I help him with his drawing while the worker spoke to us under the shady tree.
- Ben West (read about Ben's travel adventures here at Red Rucksack)
Due to strict regulations on photographing the children I was not allowed to take any photographs with the children.
